Acclaimed violinist to perform

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Hillsdale.net - Hillsdale, MI

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Posted Jul. 24, 2014 at 7:00 PM

Posted Jul. 24, 2014 at 7:00 PM

Hillsdale, Mich.

Hillsdale Daily News

HILLSDALE — The Hillsdale County Community School of the Arts has announced the Summer String Festival with a special performance featuring guest artist Wallace DePue, Jr. during their annual string camp.

DePue will perform with guitarist Jordan Ticeon Aug. 7 and will join the Hillsdale Summer String Festival students during their final performance the following evening.

DePue received his doctorate of musical arts in violin performance from the University of Texas in 2006. DePue’s family shares his love of music — his father is a composer and professor emeritus from Bowling Green University and his brothers Jason, Alex and Zach are also prominent violinists. The four have been performing together for more than 25 years and have made appearances on PBS television. DePue is currently serving as the assistant concertmaster of the Philly POPS Orchestra as well as performing with the DePue Brothers Band.

The group released their most recent album, "Weapons of Grass Construction," in 2010.

DePue is thrilled to share his love of music with the students involved in the Hillsdale Summer String Festival.

"I am extremely excited to perform for and with the students of the Hillsdale County Community School of the Arts Summer String Festival," DePue said. "It is great to see a musical arts organization like HCCSA incorporate several different musical genres into their music teaching curriculum. HCCSA is helping to pioneer the way to develop young, versatile musicians of the future and is helping to prepare our future generations of young musicians to meet the musical challenges of tomorrow. I am very honored to be invited to teach and perform at the Summer String Festival."

Now in its fourth year, the HCCSA Summer String Festival provides an intensive musical experience for strings students in Hillsdale County as well as collaboration with special guest artists. The String Festival is funded annually by individual donations and sponsored by ArtWorks of Hillsdale, a community council that seeks to foster artistic creativity in Hillsdale County.

DePue’s solo concert will be held at Davis Middle School and will feature a unique blend of musical genres, showcasing fiddle music, classical pieces, and yodeling. DePue will join the Summer String Festival students for their final performance the following evening. The concerts are free and open to the public.

Concert dates are Aug. 7 and 8 at 7 p.m. Davis Middle School is located at 30 N. West St., Hillsdale.